In many fields of science and industry, it is often necessary to track small amounts of radiation under difficult or physically restrictive conditions. In some cases low energy particle emitting radioisotopes, rather than high energy particle emitters, are used in scientific research projects. Low energy particle emitting radiotracers, such as P32 and P33, offer several benefits, such as easy disposal at the conclusion of an experiment. As a result, researchers may have a need to track low energy emissions, sometimes when such emissions are subject to migration through the ground, other substances, or even a biological entity.
One such example of this need is when researchers are attempting to track a radioactive tracer through a live plant or similar organism. Moreover, biological activity of interest often occurs in the soil, rather than in the body of a plant, so it is often necessary to be able to track the radioisotope in the soil itself as well. Conventional methods of tracking low energy particle emitting radioisotopes in soil surrounding live plant life often involve disruption of the plant's root system or environment.
Tracking low-level radiation in the soil, in general, presents numerous challenges. This makes it difficult to monitor low levels of radiation that may be present in the soil or the ground in field applications, such as might occur when a low level radioactive liquid has escaped from a nuclear facility.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a radiation detector that is capable of tracking and mapping low energy particle emitting radioisotope activity, and low level radioactive emissions, in general, in soil, ground, and similar applications.